Black as Night
by Kiwi Curry
Summary: Two former enemies, bounding through the rubble strewn earth, one intention in mind: find a lost mother, get in, get out. Easy, right? Not in the slightest.


**Black as Night**

**Kiwi Curry**

**Summary: **Two former enemies, bounding through the rubble strewn earth, one intention in mind: find a lost mother, get in, get out. Easy, right? Not in the slightest.

A:N/ Omigosh, I haven't updated anything in so long! My bad! Anyway, after seeing the new NYCC trailer for the last few episodes of Avatar, (I woke my parents up with my screaming) I swear I fainted after seeing all the juicy Zutara goodness. I especially love the ninja scenes. So what do I do? That's right, make a ninja story! Honestly, why there isn't one of these out already... It's going to be a short sort of story, maybe 9 or 10 chapters long. Could be longer, I dunno. It's Zutara. You really shouldn't be that surprised. Hope ya'll like it!

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters, but the idea for this fanfic is entirely mine. _

-x-

The week's occurrences were happening at top speed.

It seemed only hours before Zuko, Prince Zuko, heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, came groveling to the small and dirty campsite the Avatar and his friends had made home, begging for forgiveness and acceptance.

It appeared simply moments ago he and Aang, the world's last hope for peace, came soaring back into the camp, recently successful in training in front of the two creators of firebending. That they showed their pureness and good intentions in front of the Masters. That they came back to their family, eager to demonstrate their new skills with newborn enthusiasm.

And mere seconds ago, it felt as though the ex-prince and young Water Tribe warrior, Sokka, returned to the Temple with a long-lost friend and lover, a brand new face, and an elderly man with the same sapphire eyes as the two Water siblings.

And their luck streak still wasn't breaking.

An aging man with a long, bushy gray beard stumbled upon the gang, smiling as though he had just been given a wondrous treat. Wrinkles of worry seemed to have permanently nestled in his long face, but his eyes – golden like the setting sun – still had the spark of a young child.

It turned out the man was actually Iroh, a traitor to the Fire Nation. He had journeyed through the land, avoiding all bounty hunters, in hopes of teaching the Avatar the way of firebending. When Aang showed him all he knew, Iroh was puzzled. He asked how he had learned firebending so quickly, and if he had a teacher. Before Aang could answer, Iroh's nephew thrashed through the thick jungle, carrying firewood for that nights fire.

The wood clattered noisily to the musty floor as his good eye widened in shock. He mumbled something unintelligible and was suddenly clinging to the old man as if he were a life line, whispering how sorry he was for all his mistakes. The corners of Iroh's mouth tugged upward, and he wrapped his arms around the trembling teenager, patting his back like a father congratulating a son.

The Fire Prince took the crinkled old hand gently and, weaving through the small crowd that had come to see what all the fuss was, brought him to the already blazing campfire. A long log was positioned directly in front of the flames.

Iroh gingerly sat down; the question lingering in the nephew's eye seemed to ask permission to sit. Iroh beamed at his new-found courtesy.

"I… I can't believe it," Zuko whispered, twiddling his thumbs as the other members joined in a circle around him. "After I confronted fath – Ozai, I hurried to the prison cells to help bust you out. When I got there I found a delirious guard saying you had gotten out yourself." A quizzical look passed the boy's face. "Uncle, what were you _doing _in there?"

Aang suddenly appeared, tea tray balanced on his palm as he handed out cups. "Zuko says you like tea and I've been learning a thing or two from him. I hope it's alright."

"Ah, thank you," Iroh said, warily eyeing the tea. Evidently he had not forgotten Zuko's first attempt at his favorite drink. Taking the first tentative sip and deciding he wouldn't choke, Iroh happily gulped the tea down.

As Aang hurried to fill the empty cup with the steaming liquid, Zuko cleared his throat. "You still haven't answered my question."

Iroh turned his attention to the stars as though the answers were written there. Suddenly he plunged into his story of preparation for escape, how he climbed the bars each day to strengthen his body. He was talking so fast his words were slurred and the group had trouble keeping up (Sokka asked if he had been working out his tongue too).

Iroh was receiving questions so quickly he felt as though he was back in Ba Sing Se, deflecting the enemies blows; as soon as he answered one question, another bounced back in his face.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Aang yawned loudly. "Well, I'm beat. I think I'll hit the hay."

A sort of chain reaction occurred, and each member of the group stretched and slowly stood. "Yeah, me too." "I'm exhausted." "Carry me, Snoozles!"

Before Aang departed from the room, he turned back and added hastily, "Iroh, I think we have a spare room. Zuko can take you to it."

"Thank you, Avatar Aang. Well nephew, let's get going!"

Zuko smiled gently. "Do you need help getting up…?"

That was the last thing Aang heard as he stepped from the balmy room to the chilly corridor.

-x-

_Crunch. _

Rubbing her nose furiously with the back of her hand, Katara carefully sidestepped to avoid that wall that had appeared out of nowhere. _Stupid temple_, she thought to herself as tears of pain sprang to her eyes. _I swear you move at night. _

She was still fuming over the family reunion. It was all too perfect, too flawlessly planned… but no, surely Iroh didn't mean any harm. After all, he _had _joined their side in the catacombs. But she wasn't taking any chances. He was related to Zuko, that spineless sea urchin who thought he could just stroll in their lives again, claiming to finally "know his own destiny."

"Destiny my foot," Katara muttered bitterly. The cup she was holding shook in her trembling hands. _Easy girl… _

Calming down somewhat, Katara continued her journey to the fountain for a late night drink. Aang's tea still left a salty aftertaste in her mouth.

"Are you serious?"

Quickly pressing her back against the nearest wall, Katara's eyes swept the hallway, stopping (and narrowing) at the door before her. Light seeped through the crack beneath the door and voices were heard behind the hard wood.

Katara cursed her rotten luck. The extra room Iroh had taken was farthest away from the fountain and her wandering feet had carried her there.

"I assure you, I'm absolutely positive."

The urge to eavesdrop was unbearable. As Katara settled herself in a nook to the left of the door, her stomach dropped considerably and a feeling of doing wrong crept over her. Shaking her head, she chided herself. _They could be planning an attack on Aang! _

But the more she listened, the worse she felt.

"You mean you know where Mom is? Are you sure?"

"I overheard someone talking about a young woman – a refugee – working as a waitress in a small town by the name of Ryu. He said something about her having golden eyes and how she used to work at the Fire Nation palaces. It's just a hunch, but…"

The silence was agonizing.

Finally, the ex-Prince spoke. "Even if it may not be true, I've got to try."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning… before anyone's up. Do you think you could train Aang while I'm gone?"

"Of course. Do you know how you're going to be traveling?"

"I can't risk taking the bison. I'll probably be gone for a while and the group may need it. We still don't know if Azula's trailing us or not." The voice sounded distressed.

"It's going to be fine."

"How can you be so sure? Think about it Uncle! This world's under total chaos. The Fire Nation's going to take over everything; they've already conquered Ba Sing Se-" his voice was tight "-and the Water Tribe is an easy ticket! The waterbenders have been taken from their homes. _People are dying, Uncle."_

"Zuko, it's like I've always said…"

She'd heard enough.

Walking quickly and quietly through the hallway, Katara took a left and nearly marched smack-dab into another wall. Groping for her doorknob in the pitch black darkness, Katara nearly ripped it off the door in her attempt to be in the safety of her own room.

Diving into her bed, Katara mentally kicked herself to being so curious. She knew Zuko was going to try to sneak out early in the morning. She knew where he was going. She knew she was going to try and stop him. She knew he wouldn't listen. And she knew what she was going to have to do to make sure he didn't kill himself along the way.

-x-

Zuko stole through the campground with the stealth of the Blue Spirit – the only thing missing was the blue and white mask. There was a staircase of crumbling stone leading to the land of the right-side up, and he was eager to reach that world.

A twig snapped under his heel and he cringed. It was highly unlikely anyway would be able to hear that, but he wanted to make his disappearance a clean cut.

The first decaying stair was only a few yards or so away. One step, two steps, three…

"Going somewhere, Zuzu?"

His stomach seemed to cave in. Turning slowly as though stalling the beast, he watched as the Queen of Threats walked into the light from the swirling shadows.

His hands were clammy. He couldn't let anyone know where he was going! "I'm just – er – going to get a drink of water. At the fountain. Over there."

One of Katara's eyebrows rose drastically. "The fountain's in the opposite direction," she claimed, jutting a thumb behind her back to emphasis. "And why would you need an entire knapsack? You'd only have to bring a cup."

"Oh, um, well, you see…"

Katara smirked. She had him right where she wanted him, and she was about to have some fun. "I bet you're just going to throw all the kindness Aang has shown you right back in his face. If it were up to me 

you'd be falling down that canyon _right_ now. In fact," she breathed, circling Zuko like a vulture, "I bet you're off to tell Azula – your perfect little sister – all that you know."

Insults, Zuko could handle. Death glares, no problem. But when she poked fun at his loyalty to the group…

He snapped. "For your information, I would rather be buried alive than go back to that awful"- his hand curled –"horrid"- the fist bounced back and forth against his thigh –"_wretched _place to be ridiculed at. If you think I'll just go waltzing back in there, you better think again. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get some water."

Katara sighed, realizing she had gone a bit too far. Zuko was back to his old self. "I – wait a second."

"What?"

She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed and wishing she had never heard the conversation in the first place. "Look, I kinda sorta overheard you and Iroh talking last night…"

Zuko stepped closer. "You _eavesdropped _on me?! What did you think I was discussing with him? Plans to destroy you?"

Katara shied away from his towering figure. Though she didn't want to admit, that's exactly what she was doing. Trying to keep her dignity (and power) of the situation, she shoved her face into his. Shocking ocean blues met fiery gold. "I happen to know exactly what you're going to do. You're going to leave."

Zuko's face drained of all color. He stepped back and gazed at his feet. "You're right. I'm going to find my mother." His eyes flashed to hers and she swallowed. "I thought she was dead for ten years. You have to understand… I can't just not try!"

Katara breathed deeply; glad to see the conversation was back in control, she answered simply, "I'm coming with you."

Zuko calmly crossed his arms across his torso, but his eyes betrayed his emotion; panic, irritation, and above all, confusion. _"You"-_ he pointed toward her chest –"Want to come with _me"_- a jab to his own body –"To help me find my mother?"

"That's right."

"But why?" His voice was coated with bewilderment.

"You helped me bring my dad back to me… without you, Sokka and Appa might be roasting in a volcano right now." Her uneasiness was obvious, but she mowed on. "It's the least I could do. Besides, you've gotten to go on an exciting trip with everybody but me! I hardly think that's fair."

Zuko snorted, clearly loosening up a bit. "You say that like it's a good thing."

"It may be."

"But I haven't done anything with Toph," he pointed out.

Katara turned her attention to the blazing sun rather than answering. It was much higher than it had been when she had first cornered the firebender. "Are we going or what?"

"Yeah, I'm going all right – _alone." _

She threw her hands in the air. "Honestly! Why can't you just let me tag along?"

Zuko rubbed his chin in mock thought. "Let's see… you threatened to end my destiny if I tried anything funny. I think that qualifies as a good reason for you to stay behind."

"Or…," Katara said softly, "You take me along or Aang will be one firebender short when he wakes up."

"I'd be gone already-"

Katara raised a single finger. "One that won't come back."

The sun was rising faster with every precious second that ticked away. And what was he doing? Wasting his time arguing with this girl!

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Zuko finally admitted defeat. "Alright fine, you can come. I'm giving you five minutes to get together your things. No more, no less. I want you to meet me by the stairs when you're ready. If you're not there by the end of those five minutes, I'm leaving without you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Katara casually responded. Wheeling around she was off, bounding over debris and rubble, heading in the direction of her room.

Zuko groaned, plopping down on the dirty stone floor. "What have I just done?"

-x-

A:N/ GASP! Zuko's such a softie. Katara still scares me. Were they OOC? I hope they weren't. Bleh, did anyone get the feeling it started out alright and then slowly headed downward? I did. Anyway, just so ya'll know, this isn't going to be one of those "Oh Zuko! I was so wrong about you! Kiss me, you fool!" It's going to end with the Zutara hug and how Katara trusts and knows a little bit more about her former enemy. Read and review! It makes me write faster! Sometimes! :3 Oh, and I won't be edited or making any more chapters for my other fanfics till this is done. I'm gonna finish one of these dang stories and it better be this one. 10 points if you know what Ryu means!


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